


A taste of you

by Sylencia



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: (sorry about that), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Food Kink, Hannibal AU, M/M, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Smut, Unsafe Sex, but proper lube !, don't expect them to be remotely similar to Will and Hannibal tho, kind of, lots of innuendos about taste and food and meat and sauce and i'm not even sorry, mentions of death and gory details
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-12-02 02:59:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11500371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylencia/pseuds/Sylencia
Summary: Ever since Ardyn Izunia entered his team as an independant consultant, Noctis had been pinning after him. But tonight, the man invited him over for dinner. Noctis sure hadn't expected that kind of evening.





	A taste of you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Croliv_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Croliv_writes/gifts).



> So, this is all Croliv's fault ! She tempted me to write a Hannibal au for these two and I gave in ! But she beta'ed so it's fine !
> 
> Like I said in the title, don't expect Ardyn and Noctis to be similar to Hannibal and Will because they aren't. It didn't feel exactly right to write them this way and I don't have the talent to pull something like this anyways !
> 
> Also : I'm not into the fandom. Not entirely. Croliv had be ship these two and I happily write for them but I know nothing of the universe at all, only their stories and some details! 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story :)

Noctis Caelum had been working for the Lucis Police Investigation Department since he graduated from the academy. It had been a dream for him, ever since he was a little kid, to follow his father's steps and become a federal agent. It became almost an obligation, when he father was shot in duty, as he had been trying to arrest a criminal.

Noctis was a good investigator, from what his superior said. He was a young agent, really, he had been working with them for five years only but every case given to Noctis was quickly closed as Noctis always found the person guilty of the crimes. Noctis had thought he had been lucky, at first, that he only has good instincts, he had joked how it probably was a gift from his father, as his father always had been a really good agent himself but there was something else. Something blood-curling, within his own heart but Noctis was good at hiding it. Even better at ignoring it.

But for that reason, Noctis didn't allow many people in his life. He wasn't seclusive, nor unsociable, on the contrary, he was really good at making friends but he was never too eager too meet with them and spend a lot of time with them. There always was something holding him back and Noctis usually preferred to go home early rather than spend the night out and have fun.

Luna, his best friend, kept telling him it probably wasn't that healthy, to keep his distance with people like that, because these people would eventually stop inviting him but she always was so worried about him. She always had been, and always would be and Noctis could put up with it, as long as she didn't overdo it.

Tonight, though, would be special. Luna might even step back from her scolding, when she'd know. Noctis had accepted to have dinner with someone and wasn't planning on ditching them at all.

Said someone was no one else but Ardyn Izunia. Ardyn had joined his team as an independent consultant a couple of weeks ago. Nothing had filtered from the man, nor the director but apparently, if the rumors were true, Ardyn used to be one of the best agents in town and around before he decided to leave for an early retirement. Noctis had wondered, for quite some time, if Ardyn had worked with his father in the past but Ardyn didn't look that old. He was older than him, that he was certain of but the man probably wasn't older than forty and his father had been fifty eight when he died. And Noctis had never seen Ardyn anywhere, the times he came to greet his father after school.

Despite not knowing much about Ardyn, the team had accepted him quite happily. Mostly because they were in a dead end with the current case and another look at it might help them solve it and finally catch the culprit.

The media had named him the Butcher. The Police department had tried to hold as much information as they could back, they had let nothing filter for the journalists to know but one of the victims had been found in the middle of the town and the teens who had found it had called the media before they called the police, hoping they'd be given some money in return for the scoop. The director had then decided to speak to the journalists, giving little details on the case as she could. Noctis hadn't agreed to that, saying that the killer might take it as a challenge and answer to the interview by killing more and more people but nobody listened to him.

It's when the director said that the killer was keeping part of their victims that the media found him his nickname. It had been a liver on that girl, flesh on that guy's thigh, ribs, even, on one of the last victims. Never more than a small part of them, for unknown reasons and Noctis had probably pulled so much hair from his head, trying to understand what the killer might do with it all, aside from keeping these as trophies. Trophies didn't suit his methods. He could have taken eyes or teeth or other, less random body parts as trophies. But these were too .. ordinary. Not intimate enough to remind the killer of their original owner.

Another eerie detail: the victims never were manhandled nor raped. It had been surprising at first, the first lead for the case had been that the murders were passionate crimes, that the killer had something against women, since the first victims they found were all women but the autopsies revealed that they weren't raped, nor beaten at all. There were no sign of struggle, nor bruises on their skin from before their death. Then, the first male victim arrived and the first idea had to be crossed out. These crimes had nothing to do with sexual frustration, nor hate against a gender or another.

And the investigators had to admit the obvious: all of them were killed with relative respect. The cause of death was the same, for all the victims: their neck had been snapped in a quick motion, that brought no pain. They probably didn't even know what was coming. They were executed, stripped from their clothes and some part of their body and abandoned somewhere easy to find.

The last victim, a twenty-something woman, had been found on top of a picnic table, in the town's park and was still warm when the agents and the doctor preceded with the first readings.

Ardyn had been the one to point out that the removal of body parts probably had nothing to do with keeping trophies and was more about personal reasons of any sort. There were chances the killer was selling the organs on the black market and the team had started to look onto that, working closely with other services, in case they heard of something that might be connected with their case. It was possible the killer liked to experiment on these body parts, like mad scientists, too. Or, maybe, and this had made shiver most of the team, the killer had cannibal tendencies and enjoyed the taste of human flesh, once in a while.

These details had been given to the press too, despite how it angered Noctis but he had stopped fighting against the director's decision at that point, mostly because he was sick of hearing her blame him for not closing the case yet, for not being able to arrest the culprit. He had accustomed her to quick resolutions and his own ability to track down serial killers so easily and failing was reminding her that he wasn't infallible. And she hated it.

But tonight, Noctis wasn't going to allow himself to think about the case. He was exhausted from his week, so tired to deal with the same tiny clues, over and over, unable to find anything new. Nothing seemed to help, not even Ardyn's presence. They were in a dead end again and Noctis was starting to feel really overwhelmed with the whole case, it was starting to have his brain melt down and it really, really wasn't pleasant at all. He was going to solve that case, he knew he would but tonight, Noctis had received the opportunity he had wished for, for so long and he wasn't going to let that damn case ruin his fun.

Ardyn had invited him over for dinner. Ever since Noctis had first met the man, with his well-tailored suit, his amber eyes and his dark violet hair, he hadn't been able to look away from him. Saying he had a crush on Ardyn was an understatement. Noctis admired him and he wanted him.

Noctis couldn't say he had been comfortable with that idea, at first. He had partners, in the past, for a short amount of time in general. It wasn't much that it didn't go well, most of his relationships had been peaceful and really pleasing but his main problem was that he was getting bored really quickly. Thus, he had told himself that he should become more demanding, when meeting with new people, refuse relationships he might not enjoy rather than try and force things. It never was easy for him to date, it was even worse now but Noctis had been charmed with Ardyn's personality as soon as they met. However, there was another problem.

Dating, if he wasn't mistaken and Ardyn thought of that dinner invitation as a date too, a coworker never was a good idea. Noctis had seen two members of his team date and break up quite violently, not so long ago and it ended up with one of them quitting their job and traveling half way across the globe to stay away from their former partner. Noctis didn't want that.

But Ardyn really was a independent consultant, he wasn't exactly hired in their department, only helping them with the case, and he'd stop working with them as soon as the case would be closed. Which meant there wouldn't be awkward meetings in the corridors or forced cooperation if things didn't work out between the two of them.

But the attraction towards the man was real and Noctis hadn't been able to deny it for a long time. It would have been stupid, to try and ignore it and Noctis had admitted it to himself that Ardyn was a good-looking man with refined tastes, intelligent, polite and witty. That kind of cocktail was quite attractive and Noctis had quietly accepted his fate, almost pinning for the man despite how annoying it might be to do so. Because there were no chances Ardyn was seeing him other than as a coworker.

That was what Noctis thought before Ardyn's invitation.

Never before had Noctis thought that Ardyn might be interested in him. Not romantically speaking, at least and Noctis did his best to hide his own feelings, to hide the crush he had on the man and how each and every one of his glances were turning him on. It was rather uncomfortable, sometimes, to have his body react in such ways, to feel that hot every time Ardyn would brush against him by accident but Noctis couldn't control his body's reactions either. He did try to find solutions, to masturbate, hoping it'd help with the frustration but it didn't. On the contrary, his body started to associate Ardyn to his pleasure and every time he looked at the man for too long, his cock would start to get harder in his pants. Quite the bother, to be honest.

Still, Noctis thought as he reached Ardyn's door and readied himself to knock, there were chances that the night might become interesting, if he hadn't been mistaken about Ardyn. If this was a date, and if Ardyn was attracted to him too, Noctis was pretty sure things would get heated in no time. Ardyn had invited him to his place, after all, not in some random restaurant. This was an intimate setting, for a first date.

If this was a date.

Noctis hesitated, for an instance, gathering all his strength and courage, but he eventually knocked. The house looked ancient, in the middle of more recent buildings, it had nothing to do with his own tiny flat in town and Noctis wondered how Ardyn had been able to buy anything like this.

He didn't have the time to think much, though, because the door opened and Ardyn appeared.

Noctis had expected a suit on him, as it was what he usually wore and he didn't land that far. Ardyn was wearing one of his suits, of course but he had left his jacket behind. His dress shirt was dark, fitting to his body a little too perfectly for Noctis to look away and it did bring out the amber color of his eyes. Eyes that were shining with amusement, as Ardyn waited for Noctis to react but it took a couple of seconds for the younger man to do so, he looked away in embarrassment and forced a smile.

“I hope I'm not late.” Noctis stammered, trying to ignore the blush spreading on his cheeks.

“Not at all,” Ardyn reassured, his voice rolling like a purr. “Please, do come in, let me take your jacket.”

Noctis walked past the door, looking around himself with amazement as the place looked luxurious and he shivered when Ardyn's fingers brushed against his neck so he could grab the collar of his jacket and help him out of it. Noctis tried not to overthink it, Ardyn merely was being helpful and a good host, the touch hadn't been erotic at all. Still, Noctis was reacting so strongly already and he wasn't going to be able to last the night, if Ardyn stayed that close to him.

“I am sorry to inform you that I haven't finished preparing our meal just yet,” Ardyn spoke, his voice deep and polite. “If you don't mind accompanying me in the kitchen.”

“Not at all,” Noctis smiled at the man, half turning to him and they strode toward said-kitchen. It was his first time in this house but Noctis would have been able to find the kitchen by himself with no problem, as the amazing scent of cooking was filling the vestibule and the whole house, probably. It was promising one amazing meal, probably better than anything a restaurant could have offered them.

“I didn't know you were a cook,” Noctis commented as he sat on a high stool, watching Ardyn chop onions after he rolled up his sleeves.

“My mother taught me,” Ardyn answered, shooting him a soft gaze and making the huge knife turn between his fingers. “But I do enjoy cooking more ever since I retired. I have the time to do so, at least.”

“Did .. you work with my father ?” Noctis asked before he could stop himself. The question had burned his tongue for the last few weeks but at least, Ardyn didn't seem bothered with it.

“I'm afraid not,” Ardyn answered truthfully. “I didn't know he was an agent before the director told me, a couple of days ago.”

Noctis frowned at that. Why would the director speak with Ardyn in private about him? Why would they speak about his father? Since when personal information was of any importance in such a case?

“Why were you speaking about me?”

Ardyn's smirk had him shiver, especially when Ardyn looked up with what seemed to be hungry eyes. “Aren't you curious now?” He whispered, voice almost teasing.

“I'm sorry if ..” Noctis began, cheeks red but Ardyn interrupted him by holding the knife up, in a peaceful manner.

“She was complaining it was taking you too much time to resolve the case.” Ardyn explained, with an equal tone. “I reminded her you're only human and can't do miracles.”

Noctis wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that but from Ardyn's little smile, it probably was positive. But it was true. He was only human, he didn't have superpowers that allowed him to find criminals and arrest them. Noctis still couldn't hate his director for expecting him to close the case quickly, because it was what he had done in the past. It was the first time a case was that difficult to him to work out, he was feeling more and more like he was missing something really big among the tiny clues they had and it was frustrating.

“Don't over think this, Noctis.” Ardyn advised, a couple of minutes later as silence had settled between them. “I'm sure you'll soon find out who the culprit is. Sooner than you might think, even.”

“Thank you.” Noctis answered quietly, trying to push everything aside. He wasn't here tonight to speak about that damn case, he had enough of it all week. He was here to relax, in Ardyn's company, to try and learn a little more about the man and hope for the best.

He watched, as Ardyn was turning around to add the onions to the pot that was slowly heating up on the stove, he stirred the sauce almost gently, leaned forward to take in its amazing scent and he smiled.

“Would you like to have a taste?” Ardyn purred, looking at his guest over his shoulders, his eyes glittering with amusement.

Noctis nodded almost immediately, his mouth watering at the idea of tasting that delicious sauce and he stood up, walked around the center island. He parted his lips obediently when Ardyn held out a small spoon to him and his eyes rolled back when the sauce dripped on his tongue and woke up his appetite. Noctis had never tasted anything that good, there was no denying it. His own cooking could be resumed at pulling something from his fridge and putting it in the microwave oven.

Maybe he should ask Ardyn to give him lessons?

Noctis closed his eyes for a second before he looked up at the man again and Ardyn was close. So close. When did he get that close, he wondered, embarrassed with the tingling sensation of his body aching for Ardyn's touch and he looked away in shame, forced a smile.

“It's really good.” He commented, internally cursing at his lack of proper wording. He had sometimes felt stupid, next to that man but he couldn't ignore how educated and refined Ardyn was. Far more than him, and anyone in the team. He was a man of culture, of words and art and it was a wonder why he even worked with them to try and close that case. What even was his job before he retired? He couldn't have been just a policeman.

“Now, I was so worried I wouldn't be able to finish that sauce properly that I didn't even offer you something to drink.” Ardyn sighed, placing the spoon aside on a small plate and walking past Noctis. Noctis could swear he had felt Ardyn's fingers brush against his, and his butt but he was imagining it, wasn't he?

“I thought you would like Champagne, but I can offer you wine or even water, if you prefer.” Ardyn called from the fridge, hidden behind its door.

“I'll try the Champagne, thank you.” Noctis smiled, snapping out of his thoughts.

“You never tasted champagne?” Ardyn wondered out loud, his voice tainted with disbelief.

“Never.” Noctis confirmed, his cheeks turning a little pink under the man's tone.

Ardyn pulled the bottle from the fridge, grabbed two glasses he had prepared on the side and glanced at Noctis. “I do hope you'll enjoy your first taste with me, then.” He said, as he was filling the glasses. Then he held one out for Noctis. “To our ... collaboration.” He toasted and Noctos nodded, smiling at Ardyn's expectant gaze.

The taste wasn't as appealing as the sauce had been. It was bitter and Noctis difficultly swallowed, trying not to grimace too much but he failed, it seemed, as Ardyn openly mocked him. The man didn't seem bothered with the taste, as his glass already was half empty.

“You don't have to force it, if you don't like it.” Ardyn stated, stepping closer again just so he could stir his sauce, making sure it didn't burn. “Not everyone likes Champagne.”

“I .. didn't expect that.” Noctis admitted, sipping his beverage again carefully and taking advantage of Ardyn not looking at him to grimace. “Isn't it supposed to taste sweet?”

“I'll have something sweeter for you later,” Ardyn assured, a hint of teasing in his tone. “Don't force it, if you don't like it, I'd rather have you relaxed for what's to come.”

Noctis blinked, wondering what Ardyn meant by that. It could have been an erotic comment but Noctis sure wasn't going to just jump on it and imagine things. Ardyn probably meant that it was a day off, and they could relax together, as partners on that damn case and clear their minds of the terrible weight the case was on their shoulders. The Butcher could be tracking his new victim right now, for what they knew and they were enjoying their evening off together, drinking champagne and soon dining what seemed to be a glorious meal.

“What's to come” probably had nothing to do with sex.

The thought still had his belly tingle, just like it did each time he'd lookled Ardyn in the eyes until now. Sure, having sex with that man could be quite satisfying, after pinning for so long but he couldn't hope anything remotely sexual would happen. The intimacy around them was nice for now. Noctis realized how relaxed he already was, to find himself in Ardyn's company, in his home rather than in a noisy (or, worse, a silent) restaurant, surrounded by strangers. At least here he could be himself without feeling judged. Even if it meant not liking the taste of probably expensive Champagne.

Slowly, Noctis returned to his stool, because he had nothing more to do on the other side of the island and he didn't want to be in Ardyn's way while he was cooking. Noctis sighed, rubbing his cheek as he laid his eyes on the small card resting on the counter top, Ardyn's recipe.

“May I read it ?” Noctis asked, his curiosity pushing him to do so. “Or is it a family secret ?”

“Help yourself,” Ardyn turned, without looking at him. He didn't need to, probably, as the recipe was the only thing available to read.

Noctis pulled the card toward him, immediately charmed with Ardyn's amazing handwriting style. The recipe merely was about the sauce, that sauce he had been able to taste earlier and it looked almost complicated, written down like that. Nothing like Noctis ever cooked for himself, really and it was a wonder why Ardyn would cook something that arduous but he wasn't going to complain, if it allowed him to eat something healthy for once.

It's only that moment that Noctis noticed the soft music around them. Classical music, mixed with modern instruments and it had a nice ring to it to listen. Like two different eras connecting and Noctis tried not to think how he and Ardyn were like that too. There was a non-negligible age gap between them, after all, even if he never knew what age truly was Ardyn but it was obvious, from the traits of his face and how mature he was.

Noctis rolled his eyes infuriated with his own thoughts. There was nothing to fantasize about, he wasn't sure Ardyn even returned his feelings. For all he knew, Ardyn had just wanted to invite one of his coworker over for dinner and it was it. No lust, no crush, no love. Just a simple meal between colleagues and he had to stop that train of thoughts before it ruined the night.

Noctis looked up, focusing on Ardyn now, as the recipe wasn't that interesting to read and was detailed enough for him to try and replicate it (and fail, probably). Ardyn, on the other hand, was quite interesting, his glass of champagne on one hand, stirring slowly the sauce with the other. He marked a pause, even, to turn on the oven on his left, Noctis noticed some potato like forms in there, but the dim light of the oven didn't allow him to see clearly what was heating up.

The soft replica of the melody around them escaped Ardyn's lips, as he hummed the notes of the song, Noctis shivered when he noticed how that sounded like a pleasured groan and he shifted awkwardly on his seat, trying to ignore the heat warming up his insides. He really shouldn't think about that, especially not here but he couldn't really help it. Not with Ardyn close to him and no one around, not with the target of his recent desires standing right there, at arm's length, clad in one of his amazing suits and looking so appetizing.

“Please, Noctis,” the man called out, making Noctis look up in shame as his eyes had been wandering around Ardyn's butt. “Will you stop watching me so intensely ? Else, I will have to fuck you on the counter top as an appetizer with the risk of burning our diner. It would be such a shame.”

Noctis wondered if he heard well, at first. These words couldn't have just left Ardyn's mouth, could they ? It probably was his sick brain fantasizing again, imagining things that weren't present and trying to shame him for it. There was no way in hell Ardyn would say something that bluntly, especially something that completely sexual. The man always held such a delicate aura around him, with his education and his nice suits and his attitude.

Then again, the bureau probably wasn't the most fitting place to say such things, especially with the case they were working on. So it meant that ..

“Or,” Ardyn continued, his tone deeper even and Noctis felt like he could go hard just from it. “Am I mistaken, when I caught your attraction toward me ?” Ardyn asked, glancing over his shoulder, right into his eyes. “If not, don't worry, my dear. I do plan having you later tonight.”

Noctis choked. On his spit or on thin air, he didn't really know but his breathing had stopped, right when Ardyn had looked at him and trying to breath again made him properly choke. This couldn't be true. This couldn't be the real world and he pinched the inside of his arm to try and force himself out of this dream but nothing happened.

So it meant it was .. It was the real world? This wasn't just his brain losing it? Ardyn really had planned to fuck him?

Thankfully, Ardyn wasn't able to see him blush that much. But Noctis was pretty sure the surge of need and desire that follow was felt all around the city. Because Ardyn's words had sounded like a promise, he was going to fuck him tonight, he had been aware of his attraction for quite some time, apparently and this dinner wasn't an innocent meal between colleagues. This was a date. More than a date, this was Ardyn planning to have sex with him after dinner and Noctis closed his eyes, trying to will the beginning of his erection away.

The way Ardyn quietly laughed at him didn't help, though.

Still, Noctis didn't know what he was supposed to do with that information. Should he .. just go with it now ? Sure, eating was appealing and all but Noctis had been pinning for that man for too long to wait even longer. Maybe he should just tell Ardyn to turn off the stove and the oven and lead him to the nearest bedroom. Or the nearest plane surface. A quickie as an appetizer would work, couldn't it? Did Ardyn have lube anywhere near?

Noctis sighed, as he ran his hands in his hair and closed his eyes. He really should calm down, if he didn't want Ardyn to think he was an easy fuck. Ardyn always was so sophisticated and Noctis couldn't imagine him wanting someone throwing himself at his feet, ready to worship him. It wasn't even what he wanted, Noctis reminded himself. He wanted Ardyn to look at him and respect him, he wanted the man to be pleased when he was around him and Ardyn to see him as an equal, and not some sort of a peon he could use anytime he wanted.

So, Noctis propped his chin on his hand, doing his best not to look at the man so he could appease the tension between them and he cleared his throat.

“I am sorry,” he apologized, only halfheartedly. “I didn't mean to bother you.”

“You haven't bothered me at all,” Ardyn stated, an amused tone in his voice. “Not even when you were pinning for me. I did find it quite amusing, though and I've been waiting for you to show your inner self before I made my move toward you.”

Noctis blinked, glancing quickly at Ardyn and wondering what he meant by that but he didn't ask. He wasn't sure he'd enjoy the answer anyways. Still, to know Ardyn had been aware of his pinning ...

“Don't you think it odd that I am way younger than you are?” He whispered, half expecting to be ignored but Ardyn slowly let go of his wooden spoon, he turned around, leaning against the counter top, a smirk on the lips and his eyes burning with desire.

“Do you?”

The two words triggered something, deep in Noctis's belly, he dared looking up at the man's face. Ardyn didn't care about his age. He couldn't be sure just by looking at him but these eyes were quite expressive and there was no embarrassment in his gaze. Ardyn was comfortable with his attraction, with Noctis being quite younger than he was and it inspired some respect in Noctis.

“How old are you?” Noctis asked, feeling like the question was waited now.

“Forty one.” Ardyn answered, in a tone that indicated he was testing Noctis's reaction. But Noctis had assumed Ardyn was around his forties anyways so it didn't disturb him anyways.

“Ah,” Noctis smiled, feeling playful. “Thankfully, you aren't forty two. Forty one is my limit when it comes to my partner's age.”

Ardyn laughed. Unlike earlier, it wasn't mocking, nor teasing but a proper, genuine laughter, crystal pure and charming even. Noctis smiled, with how his face relaxed and how so different he looked from his usual serious and stern expression. It was quite soothing to see Ardyn in such a good mood and Noctis tried not to blush again when his heart started to beat harder in his chest.

He really did have quite the crush on him, didn't he?

It took a couple of seconds for Ardyn to calm down and he glanced one last time at his guest before he focused on his cooking again, opening the oven to see it whatever he was heating up there was cooked yet and Noctis distracted himself by emptying his glass of champagne, grimacing even harder than before as the taste hit his buds quite bitterly.

Setting his glass aside, Noctis then looked around, towards the kitchen's door, as he kind of wanted to explore the house, to see how marvelous it was. The kitchen, all in dark wood and inox, looked like it had been pulled from a designer's magazine and Noctis was curious to see how the rest of the house had been decorated. He had no doubt about Ardyn's tastes. But he wanted to see.

“How would you like your meat to be cooked?”

Noctis blinked, as he forced himself to focus on Ardyn again, he took a couple of seconds to process the words and cleared his throat.

“Rare, please.” Noctis answered but then he frowned. “Is it beef ?”

“Ah,” Ardyn smiled, looking at him again, half turning to Noctis. “I do not think you ever tasted anything like this. It'll be a first, just like Champagne.”

Noctis's answer was to smile, because he liked surprises and he decided he liked them even more when they concerned Ardyn's cooking. That taste of his sauce had been quite exquisite already and Noctis couldn't help but want to taste anything Ardyn had to offer him.

“Let's join the dining room.” Ardyn offered after a second, turning off the stove and inviting Noctis to follow him.

The dining room was as luxurious as the kitchen in term of decoration. Noctis had never really thought that wood could do that much to a room and give it such a special atmosphere but he had been quite mistaken. And the dining table had been dressed for them, with only two place settings but the china was fine and the cutlery looked like it was solid silver. It really was too much, for a simple dinner, even after Ardyn clearly stated that it wasn't just a dinner and Noctis felt awkward at the sight of it.

Ardyn didn't seem to mind his silence and lack of reaction, though. With ease and no apparent discomfort he pulled his chair forth, so Noctis could sit, pouring the younger man a glass of white wine.

“I'll be right back.” Ardyn whispered behind his back, making Noctis shiver against his will and soon he was alone in the room, trying not to stare too much at the beautiful plates and the floral decoration on the table.

Ardyn really had put his heart in this dinner, it seemed.

The man came back with his hands full of two plates, one he placed in front of him and the other at the other setting on Noctis's left. Noctis would have thought they'd face each other during dinner, because it was the traditional thing to do but Ardyn was going to sit at the immediate side of the table.

“Smoked salmon with avocado salsa and prawns.” Ardyn announced the plate with hidden pride in his tone and Noctis had to smile as it looked so good.

“Please, dig in, Noctis.” the older man offered, as he was sitting and grabbing his own fork and knife. “Tell me if you enjoy it.”

Enjoying was a soft word, for what Noctis thought when he first tasted the dish. Just like with the sauce earlier, it was an explosion of flavors in his mouth, something he had never tasted before and that he was never going to be able to taste again. Except if this thing between him and Ardyn lasted but for now, he couldn't exactly count on that. He trusted Ardyn, really but Ardyn had spoken about having sex with him, nothing more. And his cooking was quite the foreplay, to be honest. Just to thank Ardyn for this meal, he'd let him do anything he wanted with his body.

“It's ... good.” Noctis said, at loss of words and almost rolling his eyes at himself for his lack of eloquence. Ardyn was really going to think he was stupid, if he continued being that terrible with words. “I've never had anything remotely this good in my mouth before.”

“Then, I'll make sure to feed you well.” Ardyn stated with a kind smile. “There is so much I want you to try.”

Noctis smiled at that. He was willing to try anything, if Ardyn offered. He really was smitten with the man, after all.

The wine was just as good as the rest and entirely better than the champagne. It was more sugary, less bitter and Noctis liked this one better. And he was thankful when Ardyn poured him another glass, not making any comment about it.

And he would have licked his plate off if it hadn't been the rudest thing to do but he now was eager to continue with the meal. Having tasted Ardyn's sauce earlier had been quite a tease for what the man had cooked for him and Noctis kept asking himself what kind of meat Ardyn was going to offer him but he didn't dare to ask. It probably was something exotic, if he really never tasted anything like it and Noctis didn't want to ruin the surprise.

Ardyn stood up, taping his napkin on his lips in a sophisticated way, he grabbed his empty plate, as well as Noctis' but stopped, standing next to his guest until Noctis looked up, wondering why Ardyn was waiting. The reason why Ardyn did such a thing was given to him quickly, as Ardyn reached for his hair with his free hand, grabbing it almost painfully and leaned to him for a lustful, lingering kiss.

Noctis yelped. The kiss was so sudden but welcomed. How long did he fantasize about the moment, about Ardyn taking him to a dark corner to kiss the hell out of him? Well, they weren't hidden in a dark corner but the kiss was everything Noctis had waited for and more. Tender but lustful, demanding but intense. Ardyn's hand in his hair slowly loosened, Noctis wondered if the man had thought he'd slap him or try to avoid it but it was never his intention. Noctis even leaned closer, now the surprise was gone and his body was starting to react to the contact, he allowed himself to touch back, his hand gently tracing the edge of Ardyn's jaw, his stubble scratching the pulp of his fingers. His breath hitched in his throat, when Ardyn's tongue licked his lips, like a teasing for what would come later and Noctis found himself parting his lips, waiting for the kiss to be deepened, only to feel Ardyn straightening himself.

The frustration hit him hard, as Noctis shot what looked like a frown at the man but Ardyn merely chuckled, his fingers entwining themselves in his hair.

“I wasn't sure I could wait any longer to taste these lips.” the man admitted, not showing any hint of shame. “Now please, be patient while I take care of the meat.”

With that, Ardyn grabbed the plates he had collected and left the dining room toward the kitchen.

“Tease.” Noctis whispered at him but if Ardyn heard anything, he didn't react to it.

Now he was alone again, Noctis closed his eyes, placed a hand on his lids and he sighed. The kiss had been amazing. And promising. Which didn't help with his current state, as he was half hard down his pants just because of these lips on his and the way Ardyn had grabbed his hair. He was never much into hair pulling but he could change his mind, if Ardyn was on the other side of it. He didn't hate it just now, after all and Noctis felt his cheeks heat up as he shifted on his seat, trying to calm down.

Dinner wasn't finished yet. He wasn't going to ruin the moment just because his cock had decided to take control of his thoughts, especially not with how Ardyn's cooking was a pleasure itself. He really wanted to show some education and accept all the food Ardyn had to offer before he let his desires take over.

Weeks of pinning really didn't do him good.

Ardyn was taking his sweet time in the kitchen, Noctis thought after a couple of minutes alone. Should he go and help him? He really wasn't good in the kitchen, microwavable dishes were his thing and his favorite take-out places always knew what to deliver when he called but he could learn under Ardyn's teaching. He probably would take pleasure in it too, watching the man cook had been a pleasure earlier, even if he didn't see much. Noctis was quite sure he could just sit there and watch Ardyn cook for hours, if Ardyn ever allowed him too.

“Sorry for the waiting.” Ardyn's soft voice came from behind his back and Noctis smiled up at the man, watched his plate hungrily when Ardyn set it in front of him. It was quite simple, really, a nice piece of meat, juicy and rare, just like Noctis preferred, the infamous sauce had been poured in a small ramekin, on the side of the plate and Noctis had been right to expect potato as the side dish, as there was a reasonable sized potato, stuffed with mushrooms, bacon, garlic and cream.

His stomach immediately groaned at the sight, making Noctis's face turn red from the embarrassment and it was even worse when Ardyn laughed at him.

“S-so,” Noctis babbled, trying to distract himself from the sound his stomach just made. “Are you going to tell me what kind of meat this is?”

It looked like beef. Lamb, maybe. Either way, Noctis was going to eat it, he never was difficult when it came to food, especially not with how he had been eating since he was living on his own. Would Ardyn have prepared pizzas, Noctis would have eaten with just the same enthusiasm. Pizzas didn't seem to be Ardyn's thing, though.

“Ah,” Ardyn whispered, placing the second plate on the table. He didn't move away from him, which made Noctis frown a little, wondering if he was going to receive another kiss, especially when Ardyn leaned toward him, one hand going on his shoulder.

“Noctis, do you know what human flesh tastes like?" Ardyn purred, just beside his ear, making him shiver in almost pleasure.

Until the words slowly sank in, that was. There was a silence, as Noctis was trying to make sense out of Ardyn's words. He wasn't sure he heard well at first. Maybe he truly was in the middle of a dream, had he fallen asleep on his couch before coming to Ardyn's place? Noctis could remember how tired he had been, how he had wanted to take a nap before taking his car, exhausted from his weeks. Maybe it was the only answer that was sane enough for him and if he pinched his arm harder, he'd wake up, this time.

But, slowly, oh so slowly, his eyes moved from the point he had been fixing for the last couple of seconds and locked on the piece of meat right in front of him, served as his dinner, cooked by Ardyn. He had to glance at Ardyn's close face, he really had to and he did and his heart stopped when he noticed the man's soft smile, the expectation in his beautiful amber eyes, as if the question was entirely legitimate.

It was human flesh, wasn't it? Cooked this way, with herbs on top of it, it looked like any other kind of meat. Not even the smell was different and Noctis swallowed hard, when he wondered what it tasted like.

The fingers on his shoulders started to feel almost heavy, as if they were cutting any escape route he could take but it became worse when Ardyn's other hand reached for his thigh. Noctis jerked in surprise at that touch, trying not to moan because despite his thoughts, this was the man he had been pinning for, the one who had promised him sex for later, the one he desired more than anyone else. But he whined in frustration, when Ardyn's fingers slowly trailed along his muscle, from his knee toward his hips and Noctis cursed at himself when his back arched just the slightest and his head rolled back.

Of course, Ardyn noticed and his smiled widened.

What was he supposed to do now? The obviousness of the situation was almost an insult and yet, Noctis couldn't bring himself to feel bad. Whether it was because of Ardyn's touch on his body or how appetizing his plate looked even now he was quite sure of the truth, Noctis didn't want to leave, he didn't want to run away and he shivered hard when he heard Ardyn's breath hitch, right beside his ear.

“I saw the darkness in your heart when we found the last victim.” Ardyn whispered, so low, so close. “You looked at her body with such coldness, with such pity in your usually bright blue eyes. There's a part of you you hide well, Noctis but I've seen it and I want it all for myself.”

“I ...” Noctis started but his words failed him. What was he going to say? That Ardyn was wrong? That he didn't know what he was talking about? Lying never was his thing, he was too obvious, too nervous to hide a proper lie and Ardyn was going to see right through it anyways.

“You don't have to hide with me.” Ardyn continued, so tempting and his lips brushed the curve of his ear. “You'll never have to hide again.”

“I-Is it ... human flesh?” Noctis managed to asked between pants. Why was he panting now? Was it because of the subject? Because Ardyn forced him into bareness with himself? Or simply because of Ardyn's hands on his body?

“Yes.” Ardyn purred and Noctis closed his eyes, bracing himself for a heave that didn't come.

“Are .. you the Butcher?” was Noctis's next question, his voice quivering and dying on the last word, as realization hit him hard with all it meant if the answer was yes.

“Yes.”

Again, Noctis had expected himself to throw up at the answer but he didn't. He breathed in slowly, to try and oxygenate his brain, only for his nostrils to be filled with the still fuming scent of meat. Again, the gag didn't come, despite now being fully aware of what kind of meat was in front of him, despite knowing Ardyn was the brutal killer he had been looking for, for the past weeks. He even felt like laughing, at the idea of Ardyn helping the team search for him actively, actually giving genuine hints that could help them catch him.

It was Ardyn who spoke of possible cannibalistic tendencies after all.

And yet .. yet he wasn't feeling sick. He did feel like an idiot for not seeing the obvious about that damn man before but the surprise slowly passed, letting him with the strange feeling of emptiness, now his case was closed, now he knew who the killer was. It felt like a game. It always had felt like a game, to run after criminals. Just like a huge game of Cluedo with sometimes real victims. Catching the culprit always was the fun part and Noctis caught Ardyn's hand before it reached his groin area, he tensed when Ardyn's breathing caressed his neck and closed his eyes, forcing his morals away.

“Do you expect me to try tonight?” Noctis asked in a whisper, part of his brain yelling at him, telling him how terrible his words were.

He didn't have the time to think much, when Ardyn's lips crashed on the crook of his neck, for an open mouthed kiss, feeling like it was sealing something between them. A promise that he wasn't going to take Ardyn to the police, maybe? Or that they were going to fuck each other's brain later? Noctis wasn't sure. He didn't want to know either.

“Just a taste.” Ardyn muttered against his skin, before he caught the lobe of his ear between his perfect teeth, applying just enough pressure for it to hurt without breaking skin.

Noctis sucked in a breath, as he tried to keep his head from spinning because of the lack of oxygen as his breathing was laborious and how Ardyn's presence was intoxicating and he tightened his hold on the man's hand.

“I'm scared.” Noctis admitted. He hoped Ardyn wouldn't think he was scared of having a taste, no. It wasn't what bothered him the most. What was really scary was his easy acceptance of Ardyn's words and how scary it was to see his body didn't react with disgust at the truth. But Ardyn's promise, how he had declared he was never going to have to hide again... Noctis had wanted this for so long, to be finally him, to stop pushing half of who he was away.

“I know.” Ardyn nodded his head, then leaning against his. “But you don't have to be scared anymore with me.”

Noctis gave in.

There must have been a slight change in his attitude because Ardyn slowly let go of his shoulder, he straightened his back, shifted his hand so he could hold Noctis's and he kissed his knuckles to try and help him relax.

“Don't worry, my dear.” Ardyn whispered. “I won't hold it against you if you don't finish your plate tonight.”

This, at least, had the slight undertone that Ardyn might do so on other occasions and Noctis shivered when Ardyn let go of his hand to go and sit at his previous place. There was a moment of silence then, because Noctis had no idea what to do now. The emptiness he was feeling was still there, crushing his bones and its discomfort had him shift on his seat. Ardyn was the Butcher and yet, he didn't want to catch him.

Or, maybe, he did catch him already? Not in a traditional way, of course, Noctis didn't want to see Ardyn locked behind bars but the man had something for him, there was that terrible, gutsy attraction between each other and a tension they could almost touch. It wasn't just him having a crush on Ardyn, but also Ardyn wanting him dearly, from what he said earlier.

Slowly, Noctis was able to relax in his seat, he forced himself to place his wrists on the table, as it was rude not to do so and he swallowed hard, lowered his head for a second to try and gather himself and he smiled.

“Is this something you do often?” Noctis asked, trying to sound confident despite how his voice wavered. “Cooking for other people?”

“Ah,” Ardyn smiled, his eyes shifting away. “I'm afraid this is one of my first times. I never found someone to share that kind of menu with without fearing rejection or worse.”

“You sound so sure of yourself.” Noctis whispered, glancing at the man and enjoying to see his embarrassment.

“I can assure you that I was not.” Ardyn chuckled. “The kiss I stole from you earlier was a small pleasure, in case I was wrong about you.”

“What do you mean?” Noctis inquired, his heart beating fast in his chest now.

“I half expected you to run away from me.” Ardyn admitted. “There were chances I could be wrong. But seeing as you haven't called the police yet, I guess I wasn't.”

Noctis's breathing hitched, at Ardyn's soft tone and kind eyes on him and he looked at his plate again, slowly reaching for his fork and knife. The meat's smell was still powerful, even now he knew exactly what it was and for a moment, he wondered what part of the body it could be. There was no visible bone, nor too many nerves. A piece of thigh, maybe? Or calf? These thoughts, contrary to others, were disturbing him a little and Noctis decided to taste his stuffed potato first, melting at the different flavors filling his mouth.

Soft noises coming from his left had him glance at Ardyn, he stared when Ardyn picked his fork into the small piece of meat he just cut himself. He liked it rare too, it seemed. Then, he brought it to his mouth, his lips enveloped the fork's end slowly and Noctis tried not to get too distracted when these lips seemed like they were sucking on the silver fork. Ardyn looked up, when he started chewing on the meat, he swallowed and Noctis tried not to flinch under the man's intense gaze.

This probably had been the most erotic thing he had ever witnessed in his life and Noctis turned his head away, looked at his plate again and tried not to show how his hands were trembling now.

His internal fight must have been obvious on his face because Ardyn was staring at him. There was no expectancy in his eyes, nor deception. He was simply waiting for Noctis decide himself and Noctis wondered, for a moment, what he had done to find himself in such a place. He had fallen for his coworker, yes but there must be something else, something deeper that lead him to think that dating a cannibal wasn't that bad, especially when said cannibal was the criminal he had been looking for, for so long. He had seen the corpses, he knew the victims' names, he had met some of their family. It was even possible that the meat in his plate came from one of them. Maybe the one from park? One of her calves had been missing, the whole muscle and all Noctis could remember, about her, was the soft expression on her face, how peaceful she looked in death.

“You kill them .. by snapping their neck?” Noctis whispered, his natural curiosity taking over. “Why? And .. How do you find them? How do you choose them?”

Ardyn looked at him, for a long time, his eyes staring into his own and it was almost difficult to hold such a gaze but the older man eventually set his cutlery down, he reached for the bottle of red wine that had already been waiting for them on the table and he poured himself a glass. Then, he brought said glass to his lips, for a long sip and he smiled.

“I seduce them.” Ardyn admitted, his eyes never leaving his guest. “I enjoy when the meat is tender so I ask questions about their eating habits, I ask them if they like to go to the gym. When the answers please me, I... invite them over and kill them. Choosing what I am going to take from their body is what takes the most of time. Then, I give back their body.”

“Is .. this,” Noctis nodded at his plate carefully, “From that picnic table girl?”

Ardyn laughed, at the question, he probably hadn't expected it at all and a soft feeling took possession of Noctis's body as he watched the man relax. His laughter really was an amazing sight.

“No.” Ardyn answered. “I had .. A guest, earlier. I wanted your experience to be the nicest and I wanted to serve you proper, fresh meat.”

Were they really discussing about human flesh that simply and easily?

“So the body ..” Nocthis whispered, not able to finish his question.

“Downstairs.” was Ardyn's answer. “Now, are you satisfied? Will you try a bite?”

Noctis's gaze fell on his plate again, his curiosity now a little replenished and he swallowed his saliva. It probably was getting cold now, because he wouldn't stop talking and cold meat never was really savory. So, he tightened his grip on his fork and his knife, picked for former in the piece of meat, cut himself a morsel with the latter. It was tender, Noctis couldn't help but think as his cutlery sank so easily in the muscle. Tender and rare and appetizing.

Noctis pushed the meat in his mouth before he could think too much about it. He hadn't even thought of trying to hide its taste with the sauce or anesthetize his mouth with wine. All he did was plant his fork in the small part he cut and force himself to eat it before his mind told him not to.

The taste wasn't much different from any other meat. Noctis felt drips of juice tickle his tongue, the meat was delicate under his teeth and he chewed on it carefully before he swallowed. Like earlier, he was surprised when he realized that he wasn't feeling sick, even if completely aware of what he just ate, he didn't feel like throwing up and it tasted good. Noctis looked at his dish again and he wanted to continue eating this, despite it all, despite what it really was and that wasn't disturbing him the slightest.

Was he sick? Was his brain sick of some mental issue? If so, Ardyn was sick too.

“I will not ask you how you like it,” Ardyn said, casually resuming eating. “But don't force yourself to continue, if you do not wish to.”

“It's ...” Noctis began, Ardyn's attention on him again. “Will you cook us this often?”

“No, it is a rare treat,” Ardyn whispered. “For grand occasions.”

Noctis blinked, slowly cutting himself another piece of meat and this time dipping it in his sauce. “What's the grand occasion, then?”

“Us.”

At least, the answer was quite blunt, Noctis told himself as he brought the second bite to his mouth and enjoyed it even more than the first. It wasn't even an offer for a relationship. Ardyn already was seeing them as ... lovers, he expected nothing less from that encounter and it triggered something powerful in him. He had been right, to let himself be tempted despite his past deceptions, he had been right to succumb to Ardyn's charm and Ardyn was proving it tonight.

Also, he wondered what might had been the previous grand occasions that had led Ardyn to seek for this kind of treat. But he didn't dare to ask. The answer could wait.

They enjoyed their meal in comfortable silence. Noctis was thinking less and less about what he was eating and was more and more concentrated on the savors and how wonderful of a meal it was. He loved it and he waited for dessert eagerly now, wondering what Ardyn might have prepared for the two of them. He hoped he'd be able to have his meals with Ardyn often, now. As often as he could, as he knew his diet wasn't something to be proud of.

But, Noctis frowned as Ardyn was taking away their plates with the softest smile. What are they going to do? He still was an investigator, working for the town's police department and on Monday, he'd have to go and work on that case. Work on catching Ardyn, precisely. The man had been intelligent enough to fool them all for so long, even able to get himself involved in the investigation and he gave them details, truths about himself as the Butcher. Noctis wasn't sure he was able to pull something like this.

“Do you have a plan?” Noctis asked, as soon as Ardyn came back with the dessert.

“A plan?” Ardyn repeated, placing the plates down on the table.

“How .. Am I supposed to work, now I know who you are?”

Ardyn's hand reached for the back of his head, he leaned toward him and Noctis really thought they were going to kiss again. He straightened his back toward the older man, ready to meet with his lips but Ardyn kissed his forehead in a gentle way and smiled down at him.

“Don't worry, my dear.” he whispered, looking at him in the eyes. “You'll have nothing to worry about.”

“But ..” Noctis tried to interject but Ardyn shook his head.

“Trust me.”

The fingers at the back of his head had Noctis shiver, sensitive under such a touch but he eventually nodded his head. If Ardyn wanted him to stay carefree for now, he would. He didn't want to argue anyways, he didn't want to think too much about it all.

The dessert was a small raspberry tart with chocolate chips. Needless to say, it was delectable, like everything Ardyn had cooked until now, the fruits were fresh and icing sugar had been sprinkled all over the tart. Noctis would have eaten ten of these, if Ardyn had made more but he was quite sure his stomach was full now and he looked up at Ardyn, expectantly.

Ardyn didn't disappoint. Like the gentleman he was, he stood up, offering his hand for Noctis to grab it and he lead the younger man toward the living room, to a comfortable couch. Noctis sat down, his eyes wandering around the room, widening as he noticed the so many books, the lack of television and a pair of drawings, on a desk not far from him.

“May I tempt you with a cup of tea?”

Ardyn's question and playful tone made him smile, when Noctis looked up at the man, he nodded with a soft “please”, he stared at Ardyn's back while the man was walking away and he breathed out slowly.

The music hadn't stopped playing, ever since his arrival. The style was the same, classical with hints of modern music, a mix fitting Ardyn more and more. It was giving the whole place an eerie atmosphere, Noctis was feeling so relaxed, despite the revelations, despite what he had done.

He had eaten human flesh and part of his mind was yelling, screeching, insulting him for doing so. His morals, his honor as a federal agent was reminding him what kind of prison sentence he could receive for such a thing. He was going to spend tens years, locked behind bars if anyone ever knew about this. The press was going to latch onto him, because people loved a disgusting story once in a while. And he could already see the headlines flashing before his eyes.

“The cannibal lovers: The Butcher and his partner in crime convinced!”

Noctis imagined his director's face, as she was told the truth and she'd crumble, broken, to know her favorite boy was, in fact, an accomplice of the terrible serial killer that had given her insomnia. She loved him, after all, first out of respect for his father and, lately, because he was good at the job, because he was terribly efficient at catching murderers and rapists and criminals in general.

She was going to hate him so much.

Still, Noctis couldn't feel entirely bothered with it. The darkness in his heart, that thing he had hidden all his life was satisfied. Not because he had knowingly eaten human flesh but because Ardyn had been able to see his heart, to see how unaffected he felt, sometimes. He saw it and he felt like he could trust him with his little secret and he had doubted. Seeing a man like him doubt held all the meaning in the world. He had been scared to lose him. Noctis knew Ardyn would have probably snapped his neck if he had reacted negatively to his truth. He too had seemed unaffected, when speaking about his design and his methods.

They were similar in this, weren't they?

With a sigh, Noctis looked around again. This place was wonderful. He hoped he'd be able to come again soon. He didn't know what Ardyn wanted, on the long term, he didn't know if Ardyn was even going to invite him to sleep here. They were going to have sex, this point at least was clear but it was possible Ardyn preferred to sleep alone. It was possible that Ardyn was going to tell him to leave after they're done. Noctis didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay, as long as he could, to see that place as his new cocoon. He could get used to this, to Ardyn's marvelous cooking, to his kindness and gentleness and to the luxury of his home. His own flat looked like a hutch, high in the sky. It was tiny, compared with Ardyn's home. He was pretty sure the living room was bigger than his whole flat.

Ardyn's soft steps on the hardwood floor caught his attention, distracted him from this thoughts and Noctis looked up. Yes, he really could get used to this man.

“Rose tea,” Ardyn whispered, as he sat right next to his guest, holding a cup for him.

Noctis thanked him, sipped on his tea, careful not to burn his tongue and he felt his cheeks burn when Ardyn's free hand landed on his thigh, as he was using his other to add sugar to his own cup, slowly stirring it. It was almost friendly, at first, his fingers didn't move, it was just resting there innocently and Noctis shot the man a soft gaze, he watched Ardyn smile without looking at him.

Then, his hand slowly made their way higher on his thigh, Noctis made sure not to move. He knew where this was going. Ardyn had stated his intention clearly, earlier, he had said they were going to have sex and Noctis had waited for this for so long already, as he had been pinning for the man, as he had imagined him while masturbating. He even imagined how Ardyn would take him, against his desk at work or in a dark archive room and he had fantasized about the moment long enough.

Ardyn's fingers slowly gripped his thigh, as Noctis moved, as if he wanted to stop him from moving again from him and Noctis looked up with a soft smile, as he put his cup down.

“Aren't you drinking your tea?” he asked in an innocent tone.

“Tea isn't what I am interested in, at the moment.”

Noctis laughed, out of nervousness because even though he had wanted this, it had been some time he hadn't have sex. And Ardyn was older, it meant he had experience, way more than he did and Noctis wasn't sure he was going to act up to the man's standards but it wasn't the moment to back off, was it? No, he wanted this so much.

“Have you been with a man before?”

Noctis was startled with the question. Not because it was shocking but there was so much concern, in Ardyn's voice, as if the answer truly mattered to him. What if he said no? Would Ardyn act more carefully with him, would he prepare him for a longer time and take him with the gentleness reserved to a virgin? Ardyn never looked like a violent man, he was composed in all he did and Noctis didn't doubt his manners. But he wasn't going to lie.

“Yes,” he whispered, his cheeks tainting themselves with a soft pink hue, still awkward to speak about his sexual life. “On both .. ends.”

“Good.” Ardyn muttered.

Noctis would have asked why, when Ardyn let go of his little spoon, grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a kiss.

This one was less hasty than the first one. It was slow, their lips meeting with intensity for a sensual dance. It was chaste, still, like a proper first kiss, like two lovers discovering each other this way and Noctis could feel his heart beating harder, and his skin tingling under the sensations. It was already so profound and they hadn't done anything remotely sexual yet. They were merely kissing, Ardyn's full lips against his, nibbling, sometimes and yet, Noctis could feel his body heat up slowly and the hair at the back of his neck rising.

Then, there was his tongue. Ardyn had taken advantage of an hesitation to deepen the kiss and Noctis melted under this new feeling. Not that he never made out with anyone before but he never did so with Ardyn and there is quite a difference. It always had been sloppy and uncomfortable, with his previous partners even less experienced than he was, but Ardyn? Ardyn was good at this and Noctis would let him kiss him like that for hours if he could.

Ardyn's touch on his thigh shifted, his fingers slowly trailed up toward his groin and Noctis first though Ardyn was going straight to the point but the man deviated his hand at the last moment, in a frustrating move and grabbed his hip, almost bruising his skin over his clothes with how hard his hold was.

Noctis decided it was the right moment for him to participate a little more in this. He did enjoy being submissive in bed, he would enjoy it so much more with Ardyn, if Ardyn was into this but he wanted to show the man that the attraction was mutual. That his pinning had been real and that he wasn't going to shy away, now they were here. So, slowly, so Ardyn could adjust himself to what he was going to do, Noctis turned toward the older man, his lips never leaving Ardyn's, he pushed on his legs until he was straddling Ardyn's hips and Ardyn let go of his neck to settle on his ass instead.

Almost forcefully, Ardyn pulled him toward him, Noctis yelped when he lost his balance for a second but he soon wrapped his arms around Ardyn's neck and touched his hair. He had fantasized so much about his hair, wondering if it was soft, if Ardyn would enjoying having it pulled. Noctis did give it a tentative pull and Ardyn answered with pulling his hips closer to his, until their respective, clothes erection touched.

Noctis moaned. He couldn't help it, as the contact felt electrifying. There still were several layers of clothes between them but the friction it caused to his sensitive cock had been pleasurable and he rolled his hips with incertitude, wondering how Ardyn would react to him humping against his cock. Ardyn's fingers tightened on his ass, his nails clawing at his dark jeans, while his body seemed to jerk under his and Noctis trembled at such reaction, he broke the kiss, not daring to look up.

“What is it?” Ardyn's soft voice asked, his tone almost concerned.

“I .. doubted you'd want me.” Noctis admitted.

“The things I would do to you, Noctis.” Ardyn then teased, his lips on Noctis's neck and suckling on it. “I'd spend the whole night fucking the hell out of you, if it was possible.”

“Isn't it possible?” Noctis asked, shivering when Ardyn's fingers dug even harder in his ass.

“Don't tempt me, my dear.”

With that, Ardyn kissed him again and Noctis moved his hips just the same way as before, rubbing his cock against Ardyn's, craving for more.

Noctis emitted a frustrated whine, when Ardyn stopped him though. He opened his eyes again, silently asking Ardyn why he was stopping but the man smiled in answer, he let go of his ass and reached for his partner's shirt to pull it over his head. Noctis shivered as the tempered air hit his body but he didn't have the time to think much because soon, Ardyn's lips were closing on his right nipple, the left one being pinched between a thumb and an index. Noctis whimpered, as it hurt a little but the pleasure quickly took over. Ardyn's free hand decided to touch his belly, the tip of his fingers tracing slow patterns on his skin and Noctis was going to squirm under the touch when the hand pushed him on the side and he found himself lying on the couch, Ardyn's mouth leaving his nipple to taste the skin of his stomach.

Noctis did squirm at that, ticklish but he was overwhelmed with the sensations. There still was Ardyn's fingers pinching his nipple, turning it bright red but so hard under his touch, Ardyn's mouth kissing his belly, his lips sliding against his skin, his teeth scrapping it, sometimes and his stubble scratching it raw, and his other hand slithering on his side, toward his hips, until he could grab it again, pinning him on the couch.

For a moment, Noctis thought of grabbing a handful of Ardyn's hair, just because he could but he decided not to. His arms were resting above his head, in total submission to the man, to the sensations and his treatment, letting him do whatever he wanted to do. Ardyn didn't seem to mind having him so docile anyways.

Ardyn decided to kiss him again, at some point. Noctis had noticed the hungry look in his eyes, when he had looked up and he had closed his eyes even before Ardyn's lips were on his. This time, Ardyn really was between his legs, his erection pushing against his, in a pretended missionary position as they both were clothed but Noctis felt the need to be filled, the need of Ardyn's cock inside of him and he whined again, just because he could.

Ardyn answered by grabbing his arms above his head, without moving them, with the sole intent of domination and the hand on his hip snaked under his trousers and pants, cupping his testicles without a warning. The touch had Noctis jerk forward, his cock grinding against Ardyn's again and Ardyn smiled in the kiss.

“Aren't you a little needy?” he teased, his heated hand kneading at his balls in a delicious torture. “I really, really like that.”

“Tease.” Noctis breathed out between pants, his lids barely opening on his lust-filled eyes.

“I've waited to have you for a long time, Noctis,” Ardyn stated in an equal tone. “Don't spoil my fun.”

Noctis was about to snicker, because Ardyn really looked so serious at the moment but the man's hand slowly moved from his balls to his cock. He wasn't able to grab it, because Noctis was still wearing his trousers and they were feeling so tight now but Ardyn still trailed his length, forcing a moan out of him and his thumb rolled on his glans, smearing the precum. Noctis blushed hard. Not because of Ardyn's gesture but Ardyn's eyes hadn't left his face. He was looking straight at his face, while doing so, looking at his reactions with such an amused spark in his amber eyes that all Noctis wanted, on the moment, was to come.

But the touch disappeared, Noctis groaned when Ardyn moved away from him. Still, a little voice, at the back of his head, told him that, maybe, Ardyn was going to take of his dress shirt and show his body and this really was interesting but he didn't. Instead, Ardyn grabbed his ankle, pulled off his shoe and sock with care and Noctis allowed himself to close his eyes while Ardyn was doing this, to try and concentrate on his breathing.

He had never felt quite like this before. Noctis did have fun with his ex boyfriends, he did explore some parts of his sexuality and his kinks but it never was that intense. Ardyn hadn't even done anything remotely weird nor kinky, they had kissed a lot and Ardyn had touched him and yet, he was hard like he never was before, panting for breath, so hot he was feeling feverish. Or maybe it had something to do with how much he had waited for this moment to happen?

How long had he been pinning for the man, thinking his attraction would never be reciprocated? For how long did he look at Ardyn and imagine these hands on his body and his mouth kissing him? Was his current state the only result possible of such appeal?

Before he could realize, Ardyn was pulling on his trousers. Noctis was startled out of his thoughts when hands grabbed the hem of his jeans, he became aware of how Ardyn had gotten him rid of his shoes and socks and he blinked quickly, moved his ass up just enough for Ardyn to pull his trousers off, quickly followed by his underwear. Noctis felt his cheeks head up a little, as he was now completely naked in front of Ardyn, not even trying to hide his erection as his legs part naturally and he shivers when Ardyn's look roamed over his body.

“Just like I imagined.” were Ardyn's words and Noctis squirmed when the man touched his thigh.

But what he just said meant only one thing: Ardyn had fantasized too, about having him, about taking him and it was a soothing thought.

Ardyn's lips found his again, Noctis kissed back happily, happy with the half praise he just received and he shivered again when Ardyn's hand touched his body again, so sensitive now that he was naked. He didn't even mind if Ardyn was still completely clothed. He wouldn't mind if Ardyn didn't undress at all tonight, as long as they fucked.

But the kiss didn't last, Ardyn pulled away from it, he mouthed at his jaw, his neck, his collarbone. He was leaving marks, Noctis could feel it but he didn't care. Ardyn could mark him as his, if he wanted to. And he writhed under the man's body, he moaned when Ardyn grabbed his leg and pushed his hard-on against his and grind them together. And he kept kissing his body, his sternum, both his nipples were nibbled, his belly again and Noctis opened his eyes again when he felt Ardyn's breath against his painful hard cock.

Without thinking much, Noctis looked down at the man, with the need to push his hips forward just to have Ardyn kiss his cock too but he didn't, when he noticed the way Ardyn smiled.

“Now,” his deep voice came, teasing. “Are you comfortable enough to have my mouth around your cock?”

Noctis bit his lip, as the image popped in his mind, with all it could mean too. Because Ardyn was the Butcher, the cannibal and not many people would allow such a man to have one of their body parts around that guy's mouth. But he already had allowed Ardyn to kiss his body and kiss him without fear. Still, Noctis felt playful with his answer.

“Only if you promise not to bite.” he whispered, satisfied with his witty and ironic comment and it made Ardyn laugh.

The laughter didn't last, though because soon, Ardyn's lips were kissing the base of his cock, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he did his best not to push his hips against the man's mouth. Ardyn helped with that, as he wrapped an arm around his thigh, effectively pinning his hips against the couch and he slowly reached for the tip of his cock, his tongue trailing up his length, before he swallowed it down.

Noctis couldn't watch anymore, the sensation too overwhelming to keep his eyes opened but he did dare grab Ardyn's hair and Ardyn answered with a soft moan of his own. Without awkwardness, Ardyn had him rest his second leg on his shoulder and Noctis sighed, feeling relieved as Ardyn started to bob his head, giving him enough pleasure to push back the frustration. It was beyond good, to be taken care off by Ardyn, especially with how careful Ardyn was. The fact that Ardyn was able to take most of his cock in his mouth was quite something too and Noctis tried not to think of how many lovers Ardyn had before him but it wasn't that surprising, since the man was older than he was.

For a moment, Noctis imagined what it would be like, to do something similar to the man. He'd sit on the ground, between Ardyn's parted legs and take care of his cock happily. He had fantasized about this too, before, about Ardyn taking him somewhere discreet and push him on his knees to use his mouth.

His hips jerked forward at the thought, his second hand grabbing a handful of Ardyn's hair and Ardyn seemed to chuckle at his reaction, his fingers digging hard in his skin now, probably leaving some bruises there but Noctis didn't mind.

“Ardyn.” he moaned the man's name, as he was feeling like he was close. “I'll ..”

Ardyn stopped, not without his tongue teasing the head of his cock one last time and he looked up, his lips slick with a mix of saliva and precome. “Now, we don't want this yet, do we ?”

Noctis shook his head, letting go of the man's hair and he unhooked his leg from Ardyn's shoulder so Ardyn could sit up between his legs.

“You are quite a sight, do you know that?” Ardyn praised, his fingers running up and down his thigh. “I'll enjoy seeing you come undone.”

Noctis bit his lip because he didn't know how to answer, his eyes shifted to Ardyn's covered erection but Ardyn shook his head slowly.

“Tonight is all yours, my dear.” the man whispered, licking his lips. “But I'm not worried, you'll make it up to me soon enough. Won't you?”

“Yes.” Noctis moaned, reaching for his cock to rub at it, as it was starting to become uncomfortable with how hard and needy it was. To feel Ardyn's saliva under his fingers only turned him on even more and he groaned in frustration as Ardyn chuckled.

But, thankfully, Ardyn didn't speak again. He seemed to enjoy speaking during sex and Noctis never liked that but he might change his mind with this man. Ardyn's voice already was a turn on after all.

Ardyn only turned away so he could reach something on the coffee table and Noctis smiled when he realized it was a small bottle of lube. He hadn't noticed it earlier, too focused on Ardyn and the whole room. Ardyn didn't wait, before he coated his fingers with it but he did lean toward him again for a kiss before he touched his entrance with care. The cold had Noctis jerk his hips forward, it always was a little uncomfortable at first but the way Ardyn started to massage it helped him relax. The kiss helped too and the way Ardyn placed his free arm under his neck, holding him close while they kept kissing.

The first finger went in easily. Noctis was so relaxed, resting one foot on Ardyn's hip and the other against the couch. It was a sensation he had learned to enjoy with time. He never forced himself into a role or another, as comfortable with topping or bottoming but he doubted Ardyn would ever let him top. It would feel weird, to have such a man under him. Sexy but weird and Noctis wondered if he should even ask Ardyn. He didn't want to see him laugh at his question.

Noctis clenched around Ardyn's finger, as he wanted more than that but Ardyn seemed to understand the request and added another finger, pushing them as deep as he could. Noctis moaned against the man's lips, the kiss paused as Ardyn watched him with lust filled eyes and Noctis grabbed a handful of hair again.

His eyes properly rolled back when a third finger was added but, mostly, when Ardyn pushed against his prostate. The sudden urge to come took him, as Noctis trembled under the touch and he wondered if he wasn't going to ejaculate from the stimulation alone. It wouldn't be the first time and it wouldn't be surprising, with how Ardyn kept probing at him.

“A-ardyn,” Noctis moaned, pleaded almost and Ardyn pulled him closer, his lips kissing his jaw and throat.

“Don't come,” Ardyn ordered, his voice deep with lust. “Not before I fuck you.”

It was easier said than done with how Ardyn kept teasing his prostate. But, at the same time, the pleasure was intense, Noctis was pretty sure he never felt anything like this before and he managed to keep himself from climaxing by pulling at Ardyn's hair and biting his lips.

Suddenly, Ardyn's fingers were gone, leaving him to feel so empty and Noctis opened his eyes again, peered at the man's face and he breathed out when Ardyn smiled proudly.

“I could train you to last longer,” Ardyn whispered, as he sat up and took his time to clean his fingers in his handkerchief. “If you're into that.”

“I... don't know,” Noctis answered truthfully, between pants. Well, it wasn't that he didn't know, he probably did know what he was into but right now, his brain was clouded with pleasure and it couldn't form any coherent thoughts. Except one.

“D-don't take off your clothes.”

Ardyn shot him a startled look but his expression slowly changed to amused and he nodded. “Your wishes, my orders, my dear.”

The only thing Ardyn did, was to free his cock. He opened his trousers for that, pushed his underwear out of the way and Noctis stared longer than he'd admit. Because it was a nice cock, he decided, it was a little thick but it fitted the man and he was going to be sore but he couldn't bring himself to care. He watched, as Ardyn poured some lube directly on his cock, mixing it with his precome and it took him a moment to realize that Ardyn didn't intend to use a condom.

At this point, Noctis just rolled with it.

He wasn't startled, this time, when the coldness of the lube touched his entrance but he moaned properly at the feel of Ardyn's cock resting between his ass-cheeks. Ardyn wasn't pushing in yet, merely giving him a foretaste of it and Noctis nodded, feeling like he was to give his consent to the man.

Ardyn's hands were on his hips at first, when he started to push in, to help with the movement. It was controlled, and careful, because he didn't want it to hurt but Noctis loved the way that cock stretched him and how heavy it felt, when entirely seated inside him. Ardyn didn't move right away, letting him adjust to his size. The position was a bit awkward, as Ardyn was half kneeling between his legs, with one leg on the couch and the other on the ground to give himself some leverage, Noctis had propped one foot on top of the couch's backrest and the other was in the air, his thigh resting against Ardyn's (missing word?) comfortably. Noctis was holding his arms above his head again, discreetly gripping at the throw pillows under his head to brace himself for what was coming.

But he opened his eyes again, when Ardyn didn't move and he shivered when he saw Ardyn's pleasured expression. The man really was into him, if only the penetration seemed quite something for him, if only this was blowing his mind and Noctis found himself joyful at the thought. And Ardyn's satisfaction became even more obvious when he moved back and forth again, and again, setting a slow but regular pace.

The sensation still was something foreign for Noctis, as it was his first time being taken without a condom but he did enjoy it. It was different, it felt raw but real. There was no barrier, between him and Ardyn, nothing but skin against skin, his cock grinding hard inside him and pushing against his prostate with each movement. And the hold on his hips became almost painful but Noctis didn't care anymore.

All he wanted was for Ardyn to fuck him hard.

Ardyn was able to read thoughts, it seemed because his pace quickened and only then did Noctis realize that being fucked with the lights on, not even dimmed, was quite something. He could see Ardyn enjoying this, enjoying how he felt, how he clenched around his cock and he could see his own skin turn red under the man's fingers. Bruises already were starting to appear on his thighs, proofs of Ardyn's touch and Noctis threw his head back with a moan when another thought brushed his mind.

Was Ardyn going to claim him entirely and come inside of him?

Ardyn called his name as an answer to the moan. “Come on, dear, louder.”

Noctis shivered, more and more into that little name, he groaned louder this time, getting closer and closer but he was trying to hold back. It would ruin the fun, if he climaxed too early and he wasn't sure Ardyn wouldn't mock him for it.

“You're so beautiful,” Ardyn whispered, watching him squirm under his assaults. “More beautiful than I imagined you'd be in pleasure.”

“Ah,” Noctis' whole body uncontrollably twitched at Ardyn's words.

“I want to see you come so hard,” Ardyn's dirty mouth continued.

Noctis bit his lip. He half wanted Ardyn to turn him around and fuck him from behind now. He wanted Ardyn to push his head into the pillows as he'd take him hard, to feel him so dominant but this wasn't going to happen if Ardyn really wanted to watch his face.

He twitched again, his nerves too sensitive to hold back much longer and Ardyn seemed to notice because he let go of his hips to lean toward him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, his other hand going to hold one of his against the couch. Ardyn kissed his opened lips, Noctis could feel him look at him intensely, his hips still so controlled but the penetration seemed deeper and deeper, as Ardyn's cock was getting lost inside him. And Noctis climaxed, his cock untouched shooting his seed on both their chest and his hole clenching hard on the man's cock. A wave of pleasure crushed him, when Ardyn nuzzled at his neck, moaning louder and louder himself, though the noise was muffled as he bit, hard.

Ardyn didn't stop moving right away but his thrusts became slow, almost too slow for Noctis's sensitive muscles and he needed more of this, more of them, just for a couple of minutes more until he was able to shoot his seed deeply into his lover, until he stopped at all and held Noctis close.

There was a floating moment, where all Noctis could feel were Ardyn's hand in his, holding each other tightly, his face against his neck and Noctis moved the slightest so he could rest his nose against his lover's hair. Both of them were panting hard, sweaty and hot. Only then did Noctis remembered that Ardyn was still fully clothes and that he probably had tainted his shirt with his seed. Ardyn didn't seem to care.

Ardyn slowly pulled back, as his cock started to soften, Noctis trying his best not to have Ardyn's sperm dripping on the couch. He shifted awkwardly as he felt a drip follow the curve of his ass but Ardyn held him still in his arms, his free hand going to his hair in a soothing caress and Noctis sighed, relaxed under the man's weight, feeling like Ardyn was telling him it was alright.

They didn't move for what felt like hours. They needed this as much as they had needed sex, they needed to finally be together, just the two of them, feeling each other's body and holding hands. Noctis didn't care if it was a little gross because of his sperm sticking at his skin and at Ardyn's shirt, the couch beneath him was probably going to smell like sweat for a moment but Ardyn didn't do anything against him. He was almost pinning him against it, holding him close, his lips on his neck and kissing, licking even something really sensitive there. Noctis didn't know why it hurt that much but he didn't want to ruin the moment by asking. Not when the man he had fallen for was weighting on his body in such a delicious way.

He was going to be so sore tomorrow, Noctis told himself. Not that Ardyn had manhandled him much, he wasn't rougher than most of his previous lovers but it had been some time since his last time and Ardyn was thick. Thicker than what he had been used to. Maybe he should buy himself a dildo this size to get used to it more? Or did Ardyn plan on fucking him often?

Noctis groaned, when Ardyn let go of his hand, kissing his neck one last time as he was sitting up between his still parted legs, he forced his eyes opened to gaze at the man, sleepy but so relaxed now and he smiled when Ardyn's eyes roamed over his body hungrily.

“Please,” Noctis whispered, closing his eyes again and placing his arms on his face to hide. “Don't look at me like that.”

“Why would I deny myself such a sight?”

Noctis felt his cheeks heat up at that but he didn't answer. He wasn't going to give Ardyn weapons to use against him and the compliment was quite welcomed anyways. It was a good feeling, to have such a man appreciate his body and Noctis hoped it was going to last. And that he was going to receive even more praises.

Then, Noctis heard some ruffling, as Ardyn probably was dressing himself up again and the man's hand caressed the inside of his thigh slowly. “Do not move, my dear,” Ardyn told his lover in a gentle tone. “I'll be right back. Just relax. And don't fall asleep.”

A minute later, Noctis could hear Ardyn walk away and out of the living room. Only then did he dare showing himself again, resting his arms above his head again and he sighed.

His breathing was a little better now but he regretted not being in a bed. He didn't want to taint Ardyn's couch with the sperm inside him, or his own slowly running down his side. Sheets on a bed were easy to change if such thing occurred but it wasn't the same with a sofa. Still, Noctis was quite aware that he couldn't have waited until they took things to the bedroom anyways. And having sex on a couch was comfortable enough, when said couch was that wide and big enough for this kind of activity.

Maybe he'd incite Ardyn for sex later, in his bed, this time. He could do that just well. If the man invited him to spend the night, that was. For now, Ardyn hadn't said such a thing and there were chances Ardyn preferred to sleep on his own. Noctis was going to be disappointed, if he couldn't sleep in Ardyn's bed but he couldn't force it.

Slowly, Noctis brought his legs together, set them down on the couch, he stretched a little and he sighed in happiness. Either way, this night was amazing. He had been able to taste champagne, even if he ended up not liking it, he definitively was closer with Ardyn, they had sex. There was the meal, too, Ardyn's cooking blew his mind. His revelation too but Noctis was feeling better and better about it. Yes, this was wrong, it really was and the federal agent in him was telling him that he was sick to think such things. But he couldn't deny that the meat had been good. He'd eat some again, if Ardyn offered.

He probably was just as bad as Ardyn, for thinking so. But Noctis was mostly happy they had seen each other's rotten soul and accepted each other as terrible persons. It was more than he ever thought he'd receive in life and Noctis felt content with it.

Ardyn came back twenty minutes later, as Noctis was starting to doze off, still completely exposed and naked. He hadn't even tried to cover himself, he was lying on the couch, feeling like a sleepy cat waiting to have his belly petted and he only opened his eyes again when he heard Ardyn chuckling at him.

The man had changed his clothes. For another suit, of course, a lighter shirt and fitting trousers. Noctis noticed immediately that the tip of Ardyn's hair was wet, he frowned.

“You showered ?” he asked, almost disappointed but Ardyn shook his head.

“I couldn't bring myself to wash your scent from my skin, I merely cleaned up a bit,” Ardyn explained, sitting down next to Noctis's butt and showing the damp towel in his hand. “Will you allow me to help you clean up ?”

His cheeks turning completely red, Noctis grabbed the towel without answering, he sat up, awkwardly turned away from the man as he started to wipe the seed on his belly.

“Tea, then?” Ardyn offered, not bothered at all. “I'm afraid your cup is cold now.”

“Yes, please,” Noctis answered and he waited for the other man to leave the room, both their cups in hands to clean the other parts of his body, his cock and his ass because there was lube and sperm everywhere now. He did stain the couch, unfortunately and Noctis hurried, as he tried to use a clean corner of the towel to scrape the wet spots on the sofa, before he stood up and got dressed again.

A glance toward the clock on the wall told him that it wasn't that late yet, they still had plenty of time to mess around. They didn't have to work tomorrow, after all, they really could go at it all night long if they wanted to and Noctis wondered why he was so eager to have sex again when they had just finished their first time. But it had been good, satisfying and he wanted to feel like this all the time now. Satisfied and adored.

Ardyn sat right beside him, when he joined him again, comfortable and relaxed on his couch. His back against the backrest and crossing his legs in a carefree way, the older man offered him his cup of tea, Noctis thanked him with a soft smile but before he could sip it, Ardyn was grabbing his jaw with forceful fingers and pulling him into a rough kiss. Rougher than the previous ones, Noctis noted as he closed his eyes, making sure he wouldn't topple his tea, but he did grab a handful of Ardyn's hair with his free hand, his heart beating fast in his chest.

“Do you trust me?” Ardyn asked slowly, between two kisses and Noctis had a hard time finding the time to answer.

“I wouldn't have let you near my body if I didn't trust you.” he admitted, not daring to look up. Ardyn didn't seem to mind. He merely kissed him again and Noctis melted in the embrace.

Was it allowed for him to say that he loved this man? That he was properly in love with Ardyn Izunia, despite of who he was and what he had done? Despite the fact that they didn't date nor flirt, they merely had pinned for each other for weeks and now were kissing like their life depended on it?

“The tea will get cold again.” Ardyn whispered, his grip on his jaw loosening slowly until his fingers were only a caress anymore and Noctis focused on his cup of tea again, he sipped it slowly.

Noctis never had many opportunities to drink proper tea but this one tasted amazing. Just like everything Ardyn had prepared all night long. Just like Ardyn's lips and tongue and his skin too, probably. The liquid was making him feel so hot in the inside, like a warm drink during winter time or a kiss on top of his head when he wasn't feeling good and Noctis closed his eyes for a second, he sighed and shifted closer to the other man until he could rest his head against his shoulder. Ardyn's hand moved to his hair, pulling him closer in a protective motion, Noctis sipped the tea again.

“I ..” Noctis whispered, his heart beating faster than ever before. “I .. Lo ..”

Ardyn hummed above him, nuzzling his hair and Noctis was battling, as his lids were trying to close themselves without his authorization.

“Ardyn,” Noctis called out but his voice was barely a murmur now, he felt his legs go weak as he tried to push on them and the cup tingled as his hand trembled.

“Don't fight it, my dear,” Ardyn whispered against his ear. “Let it take you. Show me how much trust you have, close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll take good care of you, my love.”

The cup shattered on the hardwood floor, Noctis jerked in Ardyn's arms as the noise startled him but he couldn't open his eyes again, his arms fell limp against his body and he would have fallen if Ardyn wasn't holding him so close.

The last things Noctis heard, when his brain shut down, were the sirens of the dozen of police cars coming their way.

Warmth was surrounding him, as Noctis regained consciousness. Warmth and the strange feeling of having missed many things, as if he had been sleeping for the past few hours. Or the past few days, Noctis didn't know. But there was a warm blanket on his body, heavy enough to make him feel like he couldn't push it away for now and Noctis didn't want to move anyways. He was in a bed, if what he was feeling under his back was a mattress. Or, he had fallen asleep on Ardyn's couch.

He hadn't felt like sleeping before he drank that tea. Sleepy, yes, because of his recent orgasm, it was a usual sensation but not exhausted enough to fall asleep without being able to fight back. Which told him that this reaction hadn't been entirely natural.

Did Ardyn drug him? If yes, why would he do something like that? Was it why he had asked Noctis if he trusted him?

His lids were heavy on his eyes, Noctis couldn't open them just yet but so was the rest of his body. He tried to move a hand to place it on his forehead, to rub at his eyes but his muscles felt like they hadn't been used in years. Or as if he had used them too much for them to work properly again and Noctis was quite sure this didn't happen.

His memories from the night were hazy, though. Like a mess of images without connection between each other. He remembered being naked, he remembered eating human meat and the overwhelming need to tell Ardyn that he loved him. Did he manage to do that? Noctis wasn't certain and he sloppily rolled on his side, his boneless limbs not helping him the slightest.

A cold breeze had his body shiver hard under the cover, Noctis thanked the one who had snuggled him into it, Ardyn, probably and he decided to just wait there until he could properly move again. He needed to pee, he could feel the distinctive tickle of his full bladder but moving seemed impossible for now. He'd take care of this later. He hoped his bladder wasn't as anesthetized as the rest of his body.

Hours seemed to pass, before Noctis tried to open his eyes again and it worked, to some extent, despite how blurry his sight was. He was floating, his body so light and his mind so clear. There was nothing to worry about, no one to speak to. He didn't feel hungry nor thirsty, he didn't feel pain. Only a strange sentiment of contentment.

He had no doubt anymore, he had been drugged.

His eyes slowly focused, adjusting to the lack of light. There was something, right in front of him. A pillow, maybe? A really big pillow, it seemed or several pillows and it took a full minute to realize that it was indeed two pillows in dark pillowcases. And they smelled like .. fabric softener.

Noctis forced his body to move again, so he could rest on his back. The ceiling seemed high above him, so high he would never be able to reach it. It was painted in a light color, like white-ish, or maybe gray. It had trims, a part was broken on the left. And there was a streak of red. Why was there red on the ceiling? The color shifted. Was it water? No, light? Light coming from .. somewhere else?

Noctis reached for his head, or he tried to. The cover was still so heavy, his hand wasn't strong enough to push it away and he had to force it along his body so he could free it properly to rub his eyes. He hated this feeling, how weak his body was, how terribly powerless he was. Was it one of Ardyn's games? Did he like that kind of power play? Noctis sure wasn't into it but his ass didn't feel violated, at least. He could feel the soft stirring sensation for earlier (how long had passed since that moment?) but nothing more. Which was good.

His throat hurt a bit, thought and as Noctis probed at his skin messily, he felt something under his fingers. Like, cloth. Or gauze. Definitively gauze. Why did he have gauze strapped to his neck ?

A detail on the ceiling caught his attention, distracting him from the gauze. Was this .. mold? The ceiling was dark despite the light color and there was little light in the room but his really was mold. A whole smudge of it, in the corner of the room. Which meant .. unsanitary conditions. Something like that. And the wall paper looked faded. Then again, there was too little light in the room to really see.

Too much light for his sensitive eyes, Noctis realized as they burned and he blinked several times to wet them again, hoping it would help.

It helped. Until he had to blink again.

He was naked. Why did it take him so long to realize that he was naked? Completely so at that. He didn't even have socks on. Nor underwear. Naked. He could remember dressing up again and here he was, naked under a blanket he didn't know in a room with mold on the ceiling. How unhealthy.

He really had to pee too.

Noctis rolled on his side again so he could try and get up from that bed. He didn't know where he was but he had to find a bathroom. He wasn't sure he could hold it longer. He pushed on his arms, cursed when they trembled under his weight but he managed to sit up and he gave the room a panoramic gaze.

This didn't look like Ardyn's place. He hadn't exactly seen his bedroom but this couldn't be his bedroom. It was dark and big but mostly dark. The bed was enormous. He never saw a bed quite like this one before, Noctis realized. But the blanket, that had slid from his body, was warm and fluffy, even, the pillows looked new, the mattress was an actual cloud wrapped in cotton. But the room was off. The wallpaper was the same on each walls and it almost reached the bottom of the walls but there was wood, there, like, half the wall was wood and the rest was wallpaper. How odd.

Besides the bed, the room was empty. And it was sitting in front of gigantic windows, one the left, one on the right. The shutters were closed, on the right but they were opened on the left. The red color from the ceiling was coming from there. But it looked dark outside.

There were things on the hardwood floor. Rectangular-ish things with roundish angles. Noctis pushed the cover away, crawled on the bed toward the things and he frowned. Until he realized those were large suitcases. Which was good. Because he was naked and he needed clothes.

Noctis slowly placed his feet on the floor, he gave them a tentative push and it took him a whole minute to be able to stand. His feet were wobbly under his weight, just like his arms had been, earlier but he managed to walk the three steps toward the suitcases, he opened the closer one, pulled something out of it and he smiled when he realized it was a dress shirt. It looked like one of Ardyn's. Noctis hoped Ardyn wouldn't mind because he slipped it on right away and he was satisfied to noticed it reached his ass, at least.

Then, he noticed a door, not that far. It was ajar, there was no light on the other side and Noctis slowly walked toward it, he pulled it open, frowned when he searched for the switch and the light blinded him. Noctis covered his eyes, frowning even harder and glaring toward the light bulb from under his hand until his eyes got used to the light.

He had found a bathroom, at least. It was big. Like the bedroom. Not as much as the bedroom though. But there was a huge bathtub and a shower tub. A sink with a big, ancient mirror above it but Noctis focused on the toilet instead. And he sat down to pee in peace without the fear of tumbling down because his knees felt so weak.

While he was cleaning his hands, Noctis started to feel hungry. His stomach felt so empty, aching for food and Noctis wondered where he was going to be able to find food.

Because he was in an unknown place, alone. Where he didn't know anything. Had Ardyn abandoned him somewhere? Or took him somewhere away from the civilization so he could .. eat him?

Noctis rolled his eyes at that. It wasn't because his lover was a cannibal that he should fear for his life.

Gods, that sentence was the weirdest thing ever.

After a moment, Noctis was pretty sure he had been cleaning his hands for five minutes now, the man looked up at the mirror and he frowned when he noticed the dark circles under his eyes and how tired he looked. He had just woken up but he looked like shit. It probably meant that he effectively was drugged. Was Ardyn responsible of this?

Noctis turned off the faucet slowly, he rubbed his wet hands on his face. His mind didn't seem as cloudy as before, he could remember the evening with Ardyn properly now. It was obvious Ardyn had drugged him with his tea. He remembered the way Ardyn had whispered against his ear, how he told him to relax, not to fight it. He remembered how he had wanted to tell that man he loved him. And he failed. Fuck he really was bad at this.

His gaze then fell on the gauze on his neck and Noctis half pulled it off to reveal a bite mark. Not just a soft, playful bite mark. No, he could make up Ardyn's entire set of teeth, as it had broken his skin and made him bleed. There were tiny drops of blood on the gauze. But the faint smell of disinfectant reached him, Noctis realized Ardyn had tended to his love bite and he slowly put the made up plaster back on his neck, he sighed.

Back in the bedroom, Noctis looked around him, wondering why was that place so big when his legs hurt so much and he noticed another door. This one led to a corridor and the marble under his feet was even colder than the hardwood flooring. Noctis tried the other doors of the floor but had no luck. Two doors, two empty rooms. Bedrooms, maybe? But it meant he had to walk down the stairs and this was quite the challenge in his actual state. He took his sweet time, he stayed near the rail in case he had to catch himself from a fall and he reached another corridor. A hallway, maybe.

There was a huge front door, a couple of steps away from the bottom of the staircase, which consisted on a wooden double door with many locks. On his right, Noctis had to lean forward to see a kitchen, his stomach protested, reminding him how hungry he was. But noises caught his attention, coming from his left and Noctis turned to that direction instead. Another set of double doors, opened this time, let a breeze in and Noctis slowly made his way toward this room, his eyes widened when he reached it.

Like upstairs, the wallpaper was quite old but the ceiling trims was even more impressive. There was a fireplace on the right, sofas who looked recent but old at the same time, two, twin chandeliers with pampers hanging from the ceiling. One of them seemed half broken, the other was shining at the light coming from outside. It was still dark all around him but things seemed more alight here.

The noise reached his ears again, Noctis tried to focus on it but it was to indistinct, too rich. There were people talking, cars honking, bikes roaring.

Then, Noctis saw him.

Ardyn was there. It wasn't hard to recognize him, from his usual weird haircut and his build and his face, even. Noctis couldn't see that properly, as Ardyn's face was turned away from him but he could see his nose and his recognizable jaw and his full lips and it was enough. Ardyn was sitting on an ancient armchair that probably was really comfortable. His legs were crossed, there was a small table right next to him, with a cup of something. And he was on a balcony, which guard-rail was a beautiful pattern of vines.

Noctis walked toward the man, without thinking much. Ardyn hadn't abandoned him, it seemed, he probably was the one who tucked him into this huge bed and made sure to keep him warm. The one who undressed him, probably but Noctis didn't care. It wasn't the first time, after all. Ardyn didn't look like he was aware of his presence but he wasn't startled when Noctis reached for his hair. And Noctis didn't resist long before he bent toward the man, wrapped his arms around his neck and hid his face against his skin.

“Slept well, my dear?” Ardyn whispered, leaning into the touch and placing a hand on his arms as if to keep him there. “How do you feel?”

“Wobbly,” Noctis answered, his voice hoarse from the lack of water. “Dizzy and confused.”

“I am sorry,” Ardyn apologized sincerely, his breath hitching when Noctis kissed his neck. “I didn't have much time.”

“You drugged me?” Noctis asked, warmth spreading through his body despite the cold air of the night.

“I did.”

At least, Ardyn wasn't lying and Noctis didn't move for the next couple of minutes, too good to feel Ardyn's body touching his to move away. Just so he could rest his head against Ardyn's and stop thinking at all.

The ache of his limbs was what forced him to let go of Ardyn's neck and he slowly straightened, his hand never leaving the man's shoulder, he walked around the chair and crashed on Ardyn's lap, his mind still too cloudy to care. The armchair creaked in protest, under the added weight but Ardyn's hand soon was on his body, pulling him closer, his legs over the armrest and his head against his lover's shoulder.

“You could have put on some underwear,” Ardyn mumbled against his ear.

Noctis shivered when the cold air hit his ass and cock, he bit his lip at Ardyn's playful tone. But then, he realized that the noise from earlier was coming from the busy street downstairs and maybe, just maybe, people would be able to see his ass if they looked up at them. There seemed to be a market, in the streets, it was really animated despite how late it probably was. So many people outside, cars forcing their way through the crowd, honking and drivers yelling. So many neon signs too. Maybe the red light from the bedroom came from a neon?

But they were high, still. Third level of an ancient building, the fourth level, the one where the bedrooms were, was the highest level. The building was built in thick, light colored stone and it explained why the whole place looked so old.

“Where are we?”

Ardyn shifted, not in discomfort, he smiled. “Away.”

“How long was I out?”

This time, Ardyn kissed the crook of his neck, probably as an apology. “Two days.”

“Why?” Noctis asked, snuggling into the warmth.

“Because while I was upstairs, I called the director and told her the truth. Don't you remember the sirens?” Ardyn questioned, rubbing Noctis's thigh to try and cast away the cold.

“I .. think I do. Why would you tell her?” Noctis shook his head, as it was a stupid idea.

“Because I was angry she said you weren't good enough,” Ardyn answered truthfully. “I sent a letter to the press, telling them the truth, how I am the Butcher and how I lead the investigation to different directions. So I could humiliate her.”

Noctis chuckled, because it was kind of funny, Ardyn's pride and protectiveness.

“I knew they were going to come for me right away so I drugged you,” Ardyn then explained. “I didn't have the time to explain, I had to be quick. I drove all night to come here. We're safe here. Together.”

“What even is this place?” Noctis inquired, closing his eyes and sighing when Ardyn kissed the top of his head.

“Our new home,” Ardyn answered. “I bought it in cash, no paper was done. Isn't it gorgeous?”

“There's mold in our bedroom,” Noctis pointed out and Ardyn laughed.

“We'll have quite many things to do, I give you that but it won't be difficult.” the older man stated.

Then they fell in a comfortable silence, Noctis focused on the sensation of having Ardyn hold him, on what Ardyn had just said. “Together” and “we” and “our”. Ardyn was in love with him, wasn't he?

“You are officially missing.” Ardyn whispered after a couple of minutes. “I made sure they wouldn't think you were an accomplice. You have been captured by a crazy, ex-scientist with cannibalistic tendencies.”

“Why?” Noctis asked with a frown.

“So you don't go in prison if they ever catch us.”

Noctis's eyes fluttered open, he gazed up at Ardyn's serious expression, his heart skipped a beat when Ardyn claimed his lips and held him closer, a hand caressing his bottom with tenderness. It was weird to think that a couple of days ago, they were like teens pinning after each other but here they were, together on the run, wanted by the police and in love with each other. There was nothing more obvious than that, by now, the love they shared, the one they had slowly built, day after days, working together and discovering each other with such distance it became unbearable.

Noctis shivered when Ardyn broke the kiss, just so he could rest his head against his, he sighed, his hand in Ardyn's soft hair and feeling like the two of them were meant to be. There had been a time when he was so nervous, so self-aware of his attraction for Ardyn, a time when thinking of the man reciprocating his feelings made him feel idiotic. But here he was, in his arms, so painfully aware of his love now and of Ardyn's too.

“How do you feel?” Ardyn asked, his amber eyes looking up at his, locking into his.

Noctis felt his heart shatter under such an intense gaze, he swallowed hard, pulling Ardyn in another kiss and he looked away when he answered, “Happy.”

Ardyn smiled against his hair, he kissed the top of his head.

“This is all I ever wanted for you, Noctis.”

Noctis shivered, his breathing hitched, he smiled.

“It's beautiful.”


End file.
